From the Principal
Dear Parents,
I was at a meeting this week with Christian School principals from all over Sydney.
There was one theme that came through strongly, schools are really struggling to attract teachers, particularly those who embody and understand the ethos and beliefs of our types of school. The teacher shortage in the country is not a media beat up, it is a real issue that principals have to deal with when looking at staffing for the future. It is predicted that in the next 5 years, 50% of teachers will quit teaching and also that there will be very few experienced teachers left. This problem is multifaceted and complicated.
We have been very blessed at our school to very rarely have to split classes up when teachers are absent, or to have any classes without teachers. Our teachers are passionate, amazing and work with our students so well, to deliver a quality education. I had the pleasure of interviewing all of the prospective 2024 captains this week. I asked them “what’s one thing you love about our school?” Nearly every student mentioned the teachers caring for them and supporting them in some capacity.
As a school we have a responsibility to ensure that our staff have a great working environment. Government also has a responsibility to provide adequate funding for our teachers. However, as parents we also need to understand that we have a role to play in teacher wellbeing and retention. I know many of you do this so well, but here are some things I would love your support with into the future.
- Encourage our teachers: I receive many compliments about our teaching staff “Mrs/Mr ____ is such a great teacher”, yet when I pass on this feedback, they are often surprised. Our teachers are not robots, they are humans. Humans feed off encouragement. Hearing that they are making a difference in your child’s life means the world.
- Support and engage in your child’s learning: Show an interest in what your child is doing in class, what reading level they are on, read your child’s report with them, etc. Our teachers put hours into these things and it means a lot to them to know that parents are invested in their child’s education. It is very discouraging for teachers to hear things like “I never read the reports”.
- Respect and honour our teachers time: We routinely have students who are not picked up until 4.00, despite being reminded many times of the pick up time being 3.30. This sends a very poor message to our staff, that their time is not valued or respected. Our teachers would do anything for your kids, and they’ll go above and beyond when asked. Please note that if you send an email about a missing sock or another incredibly small issue, our teachers’ time is spent following that up, instead of doing what they are meant to do, which is prepare exciting lessons and mark work.
I know all of you appreciate our teachers and I want to thank you so much for your continued support in ensuring that we can continue to have great staff, who love their jobs and remain passionate about making a difference in the lives of your children.
My door is always open.
Joe Britton
Lunch Order!
Our Term 4 Lunch Orders! Thank you again to Georgette and her team for providing this service to our school community.
Please see below the menu and associated links for you to order lunches.
15 November : Chicken, Lettuce and Mayo Wrap with or without a drink (Click Here)
22 November : Chicken Burger with option to remove lettuce or mayo with or without a drink (Click Here)
29 November : Sausage Sizzle with or without a drink (Click Here)
6 December : Chicken Tenders and Chips with or without a drink (Click Here)
A reminder our orders close on Tuesdays at 11am.
If you have any questions, please email or speak with Mrs Jordaan (pa@hpcs.nsw.edu.au).
Term 4 Dates
Please note that some dates have been changed or added to the Upcoming Dates section of the newsletter.
We have a blessed and busy term left.
A Simple Solution for Losing Things!
Here at school the staff see a large amount of lunch containers and drink bottles thrown out because they are unnamed and unclaimed. We are amazed at the number of valuable uniform items that languish in the lost property basket that we can’t return to their owners because they do not have a name on them.
Earlier this year the school registered with Oz Labels as a way to make it easier for parents to label their childrens’ belongings. A flyer will be coming out this week with some of their details to help you place an order . Although the flyer doesn’t mention them, their website also offers “Value Packages” which include a variety of iron-on and dishwasher proof labels at a reasonable price.
Our school code is FRS1524 so please make sure you use this when placing an order. To explore all the options on their website go to https://www.ozlabels.com.au/FRS1524 .
This would be a great way to start the next school year with everything labelled!
Year 6 Fun Day!
Year 6 is getting ready to host our annual HPCS Fun Day on the 29th of November! This year’s theme is Disney inspired – students are encouraged to come dressed in their Disney best! Tickets will be available to purchase from next week – you will be notified when the link is live.
Lunch orders will run as usual, as well as some additional treats to purchase!
All money raised will be going to supporting students and families at Lendy Park Christian School in Zimbabwe.
Students of the Week
Congratulations to the following students for receiving Merit Awards this week:
Kindergarten
Joao Lacerda Oliveira for his courage and confidence in class discussions!
Elysse Mossawer for her outstanding effort in swimming lessons.
Ari Kassiotes for being a conscientious and highly motivated student.
Year 1
Emily Plowes for wonderful participation in Devotions.
Matthew Candray Alas for a great improvement in writing activities.
Isaac Kaufmann for excellent word contributions in Spelling.
Lis Ferreira Cortes for her positive attitude and cheerful disposition.
Year 2
Lavina Tuiala for having a positive and can-do attitude!
Mia Ireland for her kind and loving heart towards others.
Gianna Birello for her patience with others as well as herself.
Year 3
Zach Fleming for making good attempts with his reading.
Aurora Francis for her insightful comments and contributions to our Geography lessons.
Theoni Yongai for her positive attitude towards learning new concepts.
Year 4
Elijah Isip for his consistent effort in Writing and Spelling.
Maria Luisa Goncalves Ribeiro for consistently choosing to be kind.
Iolana Tuiala for effective communication during class discussions.
Year 5
Kevin Simpson for making a large effort in his classwork
Gabriel Houssami for his increased speed in times tables
Year 6
Sofia Gomez for always demonstrating our school values.
Zephi Yongai for an excellent effort during Maths!
Ronny Alam for an outstanding effort during Reading!
Save the Dates: Upcoming Dates
13 November: CSSA Year 5/ 6 Primary State Basketball GD
15 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lessons
16 November: Year 4 Excursion – Wattamolla
16 November: Year 5 Excursion – Bola Creek
17 November: Year 5 Chapel
20 November: CSSA Junior Primary State Basketball GD
22 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lessons
23 November: Stage One Excursion to Warragamba
24 November: Kindergarten Graduation Chapel
29 November: Year 6 Fun Day
30 November: Year 6 to Jamberoo
7 December: Year 6 Graduation Dinner
8 December: Year 6 Presentation and Graduation Chapel
8 December: Term 4 Ends